Thune: Democrats Want to Return to the Biden Border Crisis

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune's remarks below (as delivered):

"Mr. President, the events of Saturday night were horrifying.

"It is difficult to believe that this is the third time - the third time - President Trump has faced an assassination attempt.

"And as we know, the shooter's ambitions in this instance extended even further, to other administration officials and to the vice president.

"I'm very grateful that tragedy was averted, and that all attendees at the dinner are safe, but I remain deeply disturbed by the fact that we are looking at the third such instance, now, in two years.

"I'm thankful for the many law enforcement officers who responded, and particularly those who secured the shooter before he could harm the president or anyone else at the event.

"And I'm particularly thankful for the Capitol Police, who activated quickly to provide support at the scene and helped not only members but staffers make their way home safely.

"Mr. President, Saturday night's events were a grim reminder of the need for law enforcement.

"And, incredibly, some of the law enforcement officers who responded are working for a department that is currently completely unfunded, thanks to Democrats' refusal to negotiate on an appropriations bill.

"I very much hope that after this weekend's events, we can all agree that law enforcement agencies at the Department of Homeland Security - and the entire department - need to be funded as quickly as humanly possible.

"Mr. President, on Thursday, we passed the budget resolution.

"And we're now one step closer to completing a bill to fund border security and immigration enforcement for the next three years.

"So why are we here, Mr. President?

"Why are we being forced to consider a reconciliation bill to fund border security and immigration enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security?

"And why are we moving to fund these priorities for the next three years?

"And the answer, Mr. President, is because Democrats have refused to fund border security and immigration enforcement.

"They have refused to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"They have refused to fund Border Patrol.

"They have opted not to protect our borders.

"Mr. President, perhaps realizing [what] an untenable position … Democrats have placed themselves in, we've heard a lot of bluster from the Democrat leader on this issue.

"He'd like people to think that we are here because Republicans refused to agree to any ICE reforms - and that we somehow prefer funding border security and immigration enforcement through reconciliation.

"Well, Mr. President, give me a break!

"As the record abundantly - abundantly - reflects, Republicans bent over backward to reach an agreement with Democrats.

"The White House not only implemented its own ICE reforms after the events in Minneapolis, it repeatedly offered Democrats a robust package of legislative reforms.

"The Democrat leader had the nerve to mention body cameras the other day - as if Republicans had refused to agree to body cameras.

"So let me just refresh his memory.

"Back in January, Republicans and Democrats had agreed on DHS funding legislation.

"And do you know what it contained?

"More money for body cameras!

"And then when Democrats reneged on our agreement and demanded more, the White House offered Democrats a number of other things, including - that's right - still more money for body cameras!

"We are here, Mr. President, not because Republicans wouldn't agree to accept reforms, but because Democrats would not accept any agreement, no matter how substantive.

"The record would suggest that they never really wanted one.

"That they were in search of a talking point, not a solution.

"A political issue that they could use in November.

"But I think it remains to be seen how well 'defund law enforcement' and 'defund the border' are going to play for them this fall.

"Because let's be very clear, Mr. President, that's what this is.

"Democrats refuse to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement - at all!

"They refuse to fund Border Patrol - at all!

"What does that mean?

"It means they have refused to provide any funding for deporting criminal illegal immigrants - no matter how heinous their crimes.

"It means they have refused to provide any funding for a physical presence at the border.

"I talked about the Biden border crisis on the floor last week - about the four years of record-breaking illegal immigration at the southern border that occurred on President Biden's watch.

"Well, what Democrats are opting for now is even worse.

"At least we had the Border Patrol under President Biden.

"Now Democrats are really - really - opting for borders that are entirely open.

"Mr. President, the evils of the Biden border crisis are still being felt.

"Last month, 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman - a college student taking a walk with her friends - was shot by an illegal immigrant who entered the country under President Biden, and was released from custody in 2023.

"And Sheridan is just one of a number of American women who were killed by illegal immigrants who entered the country during the Biden border crisis.

"Mr. President, millions, millions of illegal immigrants - some of them dangerous individuals - were released into the interior of the country under President Biden.

"The Biden border crisis facilitated the passage of drugs across the southern border.

"It facilitated the passage of dangerous individuals.

"It left communities and cities - including blue cities far from the border - overwhelmed with the influx of migrants.

"I won't recapitulate everything that I said last week on the Biden border crisis.

"But it underscores the breathtaking - breathtaking - irresponsibility of Democrats' current position.

"Border security and immigration enforcement are crucial functions of government.

"They are essential to maintaining public safety.

"And Democrats have opted not to fund them at all.

"No personnel at our borders.

"No federal agents taking dangerous criminal illegals off of our streets.

"'Open the borders' and 'defund law enforcement' - that's the position the Democrats now own.

"As for Republicans, Mr. President, we will continue to move forward to fund these critical functions of government.

"And as long as we're in charge, we will do everything in our power to ensure that our borders are secure, and dangerous criminals are not on our streets."

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